The Teams
Saint Mary's Cardinals (6-2-1)
vs.
St. Norbert Green Knights (7-4-0)
The Vitals
Friday, Dec. 8 • SMU Ice Arena • 7:05 p.m.
Last Action
The Cardinals are coming off a nonconference sweep of Marian last weekend. Denny O'Connor (Roseville, Minn.) scored his third collegiate hat trick in Friday's 5-2 win, then seven different SMU players scored in Saturday's 7-4 victory. St. Norbert, meanwhile, dropped back-to-back nonconference games to East powers Norwich
(5-2) and Middlebury (1-0).
Last Meeting
St. Norbert handed SMU its worst loss of the season a year ago, beating the Cardinals 9-1.
Conference Standings
Through Thursday, December 7
This and That
The goals by Nick Meeker (Rochester, Minn.) and Mark Gryniewski (Shoreview, Minn.) vs. Marian on Saturday were the first of their collegiate careers. … Eric Richardson (Skokie, Ill.) pushed his record to 5-1-1 with 27- and 21-save efforts vs. Marian. … Todd Hangge (Rochester, Minn.) and Lenny Hofmann (Sartell, Minn.) each had 4 points vs. Marian on Saturday.
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CARDINAL PROFILERyan Stinson
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the line vs. powerful Knights
WINONA, Minn. — With 18 new faces on the Saint Mary’s University men’s hockey team’s roster, there aren’t all that many poeple who remember what happened when the Cardinals squared off against St. Norbert a year ago.
But for those who did take part in that nonconference matchup, it’s a memory they’d just as soon forget.
A 9-1 setback — SMU’s worst loss of the season — does that to a person.
Revenge, however, certainly wasn’t the motivating factor as the Cardinals completed preparations for tonight’s rematch.
“I wouldn’t say we are out for revenge,” SMU coach Don Olson said. “Obviously it wasn’t one of our better performances of the season.
“But that game is in the past. It’s a whole new season, and this team is completely different from the team team we put on the ice against St. Norbert last year,” continued Olson. “We know (St. Norbert) is a very good team and they pose a real challenge for us.”
A challenge the Cardinals eagerly accept.
Unlike a year ago, when the Cardinals relied heavily on one or two players to do the majority of their scoring, this year’s team has proven to be an unselfish bunch. Not only have 15 different players scored goals, but 17 of the 18 players dressing for tonight’s game have recorded at least one point.
“Our scoring has been extremely balanced so far this year,” explained Olson, whose team has six players with four or more goals and 11 with at least four points through SMU’s first nine games. “To be able to get so many people into the mix is such a big positive for us.”
And a big negative for any Cardinal opponent.
Like Marian, which saw SMU get scoring from eight different players in last weekend’s Cardinals sweep — including seven different players in Saturday’s 7-4 SMU victory.
“Offensively, we are playing very well right now,” understated Olson, whose Cardinals hold a 28-12 scoring advantage during their current four-game winning streak. “But it’s not just the goals — it’s the multiple-assist goals, the great passing combinations to set up the goals … .
“The entire offense is hitting on all cylinders.”
Denny O’Connor (Roseville, Minn.), who has made a name for himself as one of SMU’s main set-up men, netted four goals vs. Marian — eclipsing the three goals he scored all of last year, when he led the team with 19 assists.
Matt Hangge (Rochester, Minn.), Ryan Stinson (Winona, Minn.), Todd Hangge (Rochester, Minn.), Lenny Hofmann (Sartell, Minn.), Jason Fillipp (Fox River Grove, Ill.), Nick Meeker (Rochester, Minn.) and Mark Gryniewski (Shoreview, Minn.) also scored as SMU ran its winning to six games.
A winning streak that certainly will be tested this weekend.
“This is going to be one of our toughest weekends so far,” admitted Olson, whose team will also be at home on Saturday against Lake Forest, a team that split its season series with St. Norbert, losing 8-4, then winning 3-2 in overtime. “But we’ll be ready.”